Electric-current regulator.



PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

E. E. PHILLIPS, ELECTRIC CURRENT EECULATCE.

APPLICATION FILEDVAPR. 13, 1904.

'No MODEL.

Fig. 7.

Witness v Qttovzwu y UNITED STATES Patented. August i6, 1Q@- PATENTOrmes.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,888, dated August16, i904.

Application filed April 1S, 1904.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. PHILLIPS, a citizen ot the United States,residing at Hydepark, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in ElectricCurrent Regulators, of which the following is e. specification'.

This invention relates to electric-current regulators, the object of theinvention being' to provide a simple, cheap, and reliable device bymeans of which a current of any power or intensity may be decreased andregulated to the requirements of electrical appliances requiring acurrent of smaller or reduced power. By means of the regulatorhereinafter described the current may be increased or diminished atwill, thus enabling `an electric light, for example, to be raised andlowered or to be increased or diminished in its illuminating power in anordinary gas-jet.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists lin then'ovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as hereinfully described, illustrated, and' claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through aregulator embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectionshowing the pinion and rack adjustment. Fig. 3 is a detail sectionshowing the ratchet mechanism. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevationshowing the manner of introdlleing the regulator in a circuit.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all figures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a suitable casing, 'preferablyelongated vertically to contain the mechanism hereinafter described, thesaid casing being closed on all sides and at the top and bottom, anysuitable provision being made for givingr access to the interiorthereof. lVithin the lower portion ot' the casing is arranged aliquid-receptacle 2, forming whatl term a contact-chamber 3 andcontaining a resistance liquid, as shown at 4, and also containing aterminal 5, which is in the form of a contact plate or arch havingr theend portions thereof in contact with the same manner as Serial No.202.950. (Re model.)

the outer metallic casing 1, as shown at 6, while the central portion ofthe plate is preferably arched, as shown, so as to'dispose the centerthereof at the highest point. Located inthe upper central portion of thecontactchamber is another terminal 7', which preierably consists of aGermansilver tip or head having a pointed pendent extremity 8 andmounted on and carried by a verticallyextending rack-bar 9, the toothedportion 10 of which cooperates with a pinion 11, which is mounted on arack-adjusting shaft 12, the latter extending outward through aninsulate d bushing in the side of the casing, where it is provided. with4a thumb-wheel 14, by means of which the shaft may be turned for raisingand lowering the rack-bar and correspondingly raising and lowering theterminal 7. The rack-bar 9 plays up and down within a housing 15, withwhich it lies in electrical contact, the contact being insured by thepinion 11, which presses the rack against the back of the housing, asshown in Fig. 2. At its lower end the housing is provided with a sleeveor bushing 16, which passes through an upwardly-extending neck 17 on theliquidreceptacle 2, the latter being preferably formed of glass. At itsupper end the housing is flanged, as shown at 18, the flanges extendinghorizontally and being clamped between the sections of an insulating-bar19, secured at a suitable elevation within the casing 1.

Electrically connected with one of the flanges 18 is abinding-post 20,through which one of the line-wires 2l is connected, said wire passingthrough an insulating-bushing 22 in the top of the case. Connected tothe lower end of the binding-post 2O is a spring or detent 23, whichengages a ratchet-wheel 2li, fast on the rack-adjusting shaft l2,hereinabove described, and serves to mainte-in the ratchet-wheel and itsshaft in the position to which they have been adjusted, thus preventingthe rack-bar 9 from accidentally descending. Connected to the upper endof the rackbar 9 is a contact-plate 25, which is adapted to come incontact with the top of the casing l when the rack-bar is moved outward..26

designates a binding-post connected with the top of the casing andadapted to receive the other line-wire 27.

The device 4as Whole is adapted to be secured to a Wall or other supportby means oi' screws or other suitable fasteners Any suitable liquid si.may be used for resisting the current passing through the terminals 5and 7, the nearer together said rminals are adjusted the stronger beingthe current. in traversing the space between the terminals the liquidacts to resist the current, and thereby reduces the same in strength.Under the adjustment shown in Fig. l lie current is olf. As soon as thepoint 8 enters fthe liquid Weak current is established, and

as the point-is lowered or moved nearer the Y terminal 5 the strength.of the current increases until the terminals meet and the full power oithe Current is brought into operation,tl1e,current passing from Wire 27through binding-post 26, casing 1, terminal 5, resistu ance liquid e,terminal 7, rack-b r 9, housing 15, flange 18, bindingpost 20, and otherwire 21. Villien the racional is moved upward to its limit, the currentpasses from wire 2,7 to binding-post 26, casing l, contact-plate 25,rack-bar 9, liousino 15, iiange l, bindingpost 2O to Wire 2l. I Theregulator is simple and extremely durable and after being adjusted isinvariable as far as the strength of the current is corn cei'ned. Theregulator may be placed at any desired point, is perfectly safe, and mayoe used for reducing a current for desired purpose and in connectionwith any suital ve elee'rical applianceswsucli as alarm bells,burglanalarms, annunciators, lamps, clocks, is, and, in fact, in auf,vother pla-ce Where By means of increased or diminished at will. thusdescribed the invention, what as new is- An electriecurrent regulatorcomprising liq receptacle, the terminal mounted herein and submerged inthe liquid, asecond rack-lia connected with the second terminal, racload3 ustin g sha'f,paWL-and-ratehet mech# anisrn for holding said shaft,and bmding- "posts in electrical communication with tlie terminals.

fzln electriocurrent regulator comprising a casing, a liquid-receptacletherein, a terminal submerged in the liquidreceptacle, aseoond terminalmovable toward and away from the lirst terminal., a rack-liar towhichthe second t Vrminal is connected, a contact-plate caried by saidraclnbar and movable into and ut of Contact Wit'n the easing, arack-adjustshait, and binding-posts, one of which is slectricallyconnected with the casing and the other with the rack-nan n testimonywhereof aijx my signature in presence of two witnesses.,

FRANK E. PELPS. llitnessef FRED A. aren.

Lin'conu E. Wannen.

terminal movable Within said receptacle, a'

